Proverbs 16: 9 A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.
Proverbs 16: 9. Going into college, I had a plan that specifically excluded being a teacher. In school every opportunity tended to tutoring and revealed a love for sharing knowledge. Graduating w/ a degree in education, I had a plan that specifically excluded administration. I wanted to be in the trenches/ classroom, not stuck in an office. As a teacher I saw needs I couldn’t meet, I wanted to help my colleagues in ways I didn’t have the credentials to do. I had to become an administrator. Finishing my degree in administration I had a (very ambitious) plan for my education career that allowed for helping in church as long as I (haha) didn’t have to preach. Guess what God had to say about that? As a new preacher on trial/ in training I saw behind the scenes of what pastors have to deal with. I wrestled with the preacher’s path glad I was just a youth minister and planning how to serve that way forever. That is until the chance/ call to pastor came.
Like me, you’ve made plans for your life. If you’re a Christian, those plans were for good things, to do good things, to build a good life. You’ve given your heart to those plans and there’s nothing wrong with them. Maybe you’re going in exactly the life direction God wants you to go.
But maybe, you’re not headed to the life destinations you think.
(At least with me) God has a way of leading us where we think we’re going just so we can pick up the skills , experience, & connections we need to go where we’re really meant to be.
Don’t despair when you’re called to leave the desert and go back into Egypt (Moses). Don’t fear when you think you’re just delivering lunch and you end up fighting a giant (David). Don’t shrink back when you think you’re just gonna get married and build some chairs, but you end up having to rear and protect the Messiah (Joseph). Rejoice when you think you’re gonna run the family fishing business and you get called to leave it all, follow Jesus, and be an organizer of the church (Peter, Andrew, James, John). Tilt your chin up and get to work when instead of keeping your cushy job as the head-man’s personal assistant you have a burden to go back home and lead your folks in solving a community problem that’s been there for 100 years (Nehemiah).
When God changes your direction it doesn’t mean that your heart has been in the wrong place. It means that God’s heart has a bigger place for you to be.
1 Corinthians 2: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Rev. Anderson T. Graves II
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Road
Montgomery, AL 36116
phone/ fax: (334) 288-0577
hallmemorialcme1@aol.com
Proverbs 16: 9. Going into college, I had a plan that specifically excluded being a teacher. In school every opportunity tended to tutoring and revealed a love for sharing knowledge. Graduating w/ a degree in education, I had a plan that specifically excluded administration. I wanted to be in the trenches/ classroom, not stuck in an office. As a teacher I saw needs I couldn’t meet, I wanted to help my colleagues in ways I didn’t have the credentials to do. I had to become an administrator. Finishing my degree in administration I had a (very ambitious) plan for my education career that allowed for helping in church as long as I (haha) didn’t have to preach. Guess what God had to say about that? As a new preacher on trial/ in training I saw behind the scenes of what pastors have to deal with. I wrestled with the preacher’s path glad I was just a youth minister and planning how to serve that way forever. That is until the chance/ call to pastor came.
Like me, you’ve made plans for your life. If you’re a Christian, those plans were for good things, to do good things, to build a good life. You’ve given your heart to those plans and there’s nothing wrong with them. Maybe you’re going in exactly the life direction God wants you to go.
But maybe, you’re not headed to the life destinations you think.
(At least with me) God has a way of leading us where we think we’re going just so we can pick up the skills , experience, & connections we need to go where we’re really meant to be.
Don’t despair when you’re called to leave the desert and go back into Egypt (Moses). Don’t fear when you think you’re just delivering lunch and you end up fighting a giant (David). Don’t shrink back when you think you’re just gonna get married and build some chairs, but you end up having to rear and protect the Messiah (Joseph). Rejoice when you think you’re gonna run the family fishing business and you get called to leave it all, follow Jesus, and be an organizer of the church (Peter, Andrew, James, John). Tilt your chin up and get to work when instead of keeping your cushy job as the head-man’s personal assistant you have a burden to go back home and lead your folks in solving a community problem that’s been there for 100 years (Nehemiah).
When God changes your direction it doesn’t mean that your heart has been in the wrong place. It means that God’s heart has a bigger place for you to be.
1 Corinthians 2: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Rev. Anderson T. Graves II
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Road
Montgomery, AL 36116
phone/ fax: (334) 288-0577
hallmemorialcme1@aol.com
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